Page 14 of No Limits

“I wasn’tdrunk.” The way he says it is incredibly unconvincing.

My eyebrows raise in defiance, and I wait for him to look at me. When he does, he rolls his eyes.

“Okay, fine, I shouldn’t have been driving. But the rest was work.”

“What part of going out and getting wasted with the band is part of your job description? Really, I’d love for you to show me.” He’s all about papers and contracts and legalese. He can show me where it says that’s part of his job requirements.

“It’s about getting them to trust me, to want to rely on me. To call me whenever they need something. That’s part of the job, Shay.”

“They already feel that way if they’re calling you to party. Was there even an emergency or situation they needed you for besides picking up more alcohol on your way there?” I don’t know if this actually happened, but I can assume. It’s also a jab at what he did with his time.

“Not this time. But if I didn’t go, maybe next time, they won’t call me. Maybe they’ll call somebody else who is trying to get their business and then I lose it and then we miss out.” His head is still on his arm, though he’s looking at me. With the other, he wiggles his hand between us.

“How can you call it work when it’s drinking? I just don’t see the correlation. If anything, it’s just hanging out and having fun. Which is fine, to an extent. But not when you promised me a day with no interruptions, which yesterday was supposed to be.” Considering it was an important day, you think he’d understand that.

“Sometimes work is going to come first. I’m sorry, but that’s just life.” I roll my eyes and fight to huff at him.

“Lochlyn, you’re not a first responder. You don’t have to always be available.”

“I do, though. Because the firm is counting on me to keep the clients happy, and being there any day or time is what’s needed to do that sometimes.”

“What about me? What about my happiness?” It seems like the last thing that matters to him lately.

He hangs his head on the counter and bangs it gently a few times, clearly growing increasingly frustrated with me and the situation.

Instead of answering, he pushes back and walks out, but not before saying, “I don’t think you have a right to be mad at me when it’s work related.”

And being left alone, I can’t help but wonder what he’ll justify as for work and what he’ll realize is more for pleasure.

Chapter 7

Afewdayslater,the tension is palpable. Especially to Wes and Chelsea, who are over for Thanksgiving. We’re keeping it small, just us four, as Mom has taken to flying out to visit with my sister Logan for a month, staying for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

It works for us.

Wes and Chelsea are standing at the island, a little closer than they normally would, their eyes ping-ponging back and forth between me and Lochlyn. We’ve barely said more than two words to each other all day, opting to converse with our guests instead. When he’s facing me, he’s glaring, even while chopping.

What he has to be mad about, I have no idea.

We barely spoke all day yesterday, and Chelsea and Wes came over at ten this morning.

“Okay, what’s going on with you two?” Chelsea smacks her palms on the granite.

I turn to look at her with wide eyes. “What do you mean?”

“Well, for starters, the two of you are on opposite sides of the counter, which is highly unusual. And things are clearly tense between you. What did we walk into here?”

“Nothing, Chels.” Lochlyn gives a harsh chop as he answers his sister, but doesn’t raise his gaze.

I fight a snort but fail, and then, when his eyes lift to mine, I wish they wouldn’t have. They’re filled with anger, an emotion so unlike anything I’ve gotten from Lochlyn in all our years together. It makes my heart falter and my stomach plummet.

I know nothing can make him change his feelings, but I don’t want this. Fighting and arguing, it’s not a way to live, especially not with someone you love.

Yet knowing those things, I can’t let my anger go. Not yet.

“We had a disagreement a few days ago and that’s lingered. I’m sorry if we’re making you uncomfortable?”

I don’t need to say more, because I’ve confided in Chelsea more than once about how things are going and what his absence does to me, how it affects me on a regular basis. She doesn’t need to ask because she already figured it out.

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